Bird's eye view: Nature's way of imitating art as flamingos create remarkable image (Is this a coincidence, forgery, or are the birds intelligent?)
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 8:14 AM on 23rd November 2010
Now here's a clear case of life imitating art.
This remarkable image shows a colony of Caribbean flamingos spontaneously arranging themselves into the shape of one giant flamingo.
A colony of Caribbean flamingos spontaneously arrange themselves into the shape of one giant flamingo in Yucatan, Mexico
Photographer Bobby Haas had been taking hundreds of pictures of the birds from a helicopter
Photographer Bobby Haas had been taking hundreds of pictures of the birds from a helicopter in Yucatan, Mexico.
But just as the helicopter turned to leave, Mr Haas looked over his shoulder one last time.
It was then that he noticed the flamingos had formed an incredible shape.
He said: 'I was just leaving when I noticed that the flock was moving into a shape resembling a flamingo.
'I told the pilot to whip around but go in slowly, since if you startle the flock they will splinter.
'I guess this was a case of a real bird's eye view.'
The moment was so fleeting, he only managed to capture the one picture, before the birds started to scamper.
It was not until he developed the images a few months later that he realised how magical the image truly was.
He said: 'It's the holy grail in photography when you capture an image you've never seen before and may never see again.
'The reaction to this photo has been remarkable.'
